Method for regenerating the breathing air in closed rooms



M y 1932- H. STE-LZNER- v 1,860,298

METHOD FOR REGENERATING THE BBEATHING AIR IN CLOSED ROOMS Filed Nov. 21, 1928 15/6 Ir/ar Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES HERMANN STELZNER, LUBECK, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO'OTTO EHEINRICH OF LUBECK, GERMANY .1 H T METHOD FOR REGENERATING THE BREATHING 41am cLosEn nooivis Application filed November 21, 1928, Serial no. 32o,9s7,anq in eer many nec' iter ja4;.'19'27 The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for purifying or regenerating air to be inhaled within closed rooms or chainculate and hereby to contact with chemicals adapted to substitute the lye consumed. For

' elfecting the circulation of the lye the pressure of the oxygen which is employed for regenerating the air may be used.

For carryingout the invention an absorption-tower is well adapted, which at its upper end is connected with a lye reservoir by an arbitrarily controlled valve, and at its lower end with a collector vessel for the circulating 1 e.

In the drawings two apparatus for carrying out the invention areshown by Way of eX- ample.

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of an apparatus of this kind, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 a cylindrical absorption tower 1 serves for cffecting an intimate contact of the lye with the air to be purified. This tower is filled with substances inactive under process conditions, such as cylindrical sheet iron bodies (Raschigrings), granulated pumice stone or other bodies presenting a large surface. This absorption tower 1 is connected with a tank or reservoir 2 on top, and with a vessel or tank 3 at the bottom. Both tanks are partly filled with water, that is to say,- up to the level 2 or 3 respectively. Below the level of water of the tank 2 a layer 5 of caustic alkali, for instance caustic soda, is placed on a perforated plate or sieve 4. By a valve 6 the communication between the tank 2 and the absorption tower 1 may be interrupted at will, the valvespindle 9 being provided- With an outer thread 8 fitting to an inner thread of a bracket 7 and with a hand-wheel drained by opening the cock l.

'10. When the valve 6 is opnedt elyeferme by the water passingthrough the chemical f) will run down over'thedistributor 11 into the absorption tower and is hereby finely 'di s tributed over the large surface of thefilli'rig bodies. The absorption" tower sm perma 'nent communication with the lower" tank 3.

The air to be purified entersby the pipe 12. passes through the absorption tower in (lo n ter-current to the lye and escapes bythepipe' 13. The substitution of oxygen maybe effected many desired manner. Within thetow'er 1 the carbon' diokide contained in th'e'airpasses from the air to the lye. The carbonates formed hereby settle in the shape of flakes or mire on the bottom of thetank 3 and maybe By'the aid of'apumpl5 operated electrically or otherwise, the suction pipe 16 which 7 'branchesioif from the bottom of the tank'3,

and thep'ressu're pipe 17 which" discharges into the upper tank 2 a continuous circulation of the liquid is maintained. The lye within the lower tank 3 being hereby partly "Since it is dilficult in practice to control consumed is renewed in the upper tank 2.

TENT the amount of liquid fed by thepump, so as to balance the" amount of liquid running out from the upper t'ank'Zby; the fvalve'fi; it is preferred to provide an overflow pipe '18,

which, as will be well understood;maintains I the levels of liquid within .th-etanks g. and 3 at the marks 2 and 3 respectively; even if the pump 15 delivers more liquid than passes out through the valve 6. The continuous cirjculation of the liquid moreover has" the, 'ad- -vantage ofa rapidsolution of the "chemical L5,.and it follows that both tanks 2 and dare quickly .filled withlye to-the desired ;concen-.

tration.

' lVheniaftersome time,: the length. l l

particularly depends on the number of persons breathing within the closed :room 'sthe lye present within the apparatus iscon'sumed, itmay'be speedily substituted by a renewed start and by anew charge of chemicals, so

that the apparatus is again ready for use. The replenishing of the oxygen is preferably secured from a storage of either liquid or compressed oxygen or by other means independent from the absorption device.

' g The construction shown in Fig. 2 difiers from that shown in Fig. 1 mainly by the omission' of the pump, thusrendering a consumption of energy unnecessary. In this case the lower tank 3 is at first left empty and only the upper tank 2 is filled with Water and a chemical for forming a lye. The lye produced trickles into the. absorption tower 1 through the valve 6 when opened by the hand Wheel 10. The air enters by the pipe 12 and escapes by the pipe 18 Thea-bsorption tower 1, hoW- 7 ever, does not permanently communicatewith ,7

' 15 the lower tank 31as'is the case with the constructionshown in Fig. 1, but can. be closed by the valve 19;v An oxygen flask 20, may be connected by a pipe 22including .a pressure reducing valve 21 with thelower tank 3. The 5: lowerpart 23 of the pipe 22 is expanded and provided with a valve 24. r v e The. v l.ves2.4 and 19v are controlled by a float '25 operated by the liquid; within the V 'tank'Z. Thefloat is mounted on a two-armed lever which is pivoted at 26'a-nd connected by arod 27"With both the valves 2tand 19 in suchmanner that when the valve 24 is opened 7 the valve 19 is closed. This operation takes place as soonas the level within the tank is lowered to themark 2, that is to say, when the. levelsinks to the extent shown in Fig. 2. In'thi's case oxygen is allowed to enter the tank 3 from. the flask 20, and, since the valve 19. is closed pressure is exerted within the 36. tank 3 and the liquid isdriven into the tank 2 through the pipe 28. When thus the liquid is raisedwithin the tank ,2. the float 25 will moveu-pwardly, thereby closing the valve 24 and opening the valve 19.. The oxygen'within the. tank 3 will-thereupon by allowed to i pass gradually into the stream of air and th s into the closed room. in which people are breathing,v corresponding to the amount of lye admitted. It is taken for granted that -45 the amount of. oxygen agrees With theamount oi absorbed carbonic acid, which may be easily secured by controlling the valve 6.

I 1 .A'method for regeneratingcontaminated x-QO air in closed. rooms, which consists'in caus-. I

in caustic alkali solution to .fioW in a i trickling movement from one bodyofsaid solution to'a second body of said solution, 7

V contacting a counter current of contaminated f airw'ith the trickling'solution, addingoxygen to .the air, and causing the alkali solution Z to circulate bythe pressure ofth'e added oxygenn. m

' In' testimony whereof {Lhave signed'my :10 name to this specification. V 17 v,

HERMANN. STELZNETR 

